Furniture latch



L, DEFOY FURNITURE LATCH Nov. l, 1932.

Filed May lO, 1930 77//0M/ey Patented Nov. 1, 1932 LoNcn DRFoY, on THREE RIVERS, QUEBEC, `CANADA FURNITURE LATCH Application filed May 10, 17930. Serial No. 451,356.,

The present invention pertains to a novel latch designed particularly for use in con nection with the drawers of household furniture. It is a known fact that visitors to a home frequently have occasion to enter the private` rooms, such as bedrooms, and on such occasions are compelled by idle curiosity to look into the drawers of vthe furniture.

The principal object of the invention is to discourage and to prevent such practice and is accomplished by the use of a simple latch, the appearance of which is misleading as to its mode of operation. The latch is essentially of the spring-pressed bolt type adapted to be opened by moving the bolt against the action of the spring from an exposed voperating member for this purpose. According to the invention, this operating member has the appearance of a simple pull ring which need only be pulled outwardly to open the drawer. As a matter of fact, the latch is not released by direct outward pull on the ring but requires rather a downward pull.

Curious persons attempting to look into a drawer would naturally iirst pull the ring out and, being unsuccessful, would in most cases become so embarrased as not to meddle fur ther to determine the operation of the latch, *i or might even be led to believe that the drawer has been locked with a key.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the'following description and in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section thereof in locking position;

Fig. 3 is a similar section in open or released position, and

` Fig. 4 is a plan section.

Y Reference to these views will now be made by use of ylike characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

In the severall figures is indicated a top 2f# boardV 1 of a table or otherpiece of furniture or even the partitioning strip between two sliding drawers. Beneath the part 1 is a conventional drawer 2 slidably supported in any v known manner and ormedpwith the usual 5U face board 3.

In the board 3 is inserted atube 4 so positioned that one of the ends 5 thereof is adapted to slide along the bottom face of the board 1 as clearly shown in Fig. 3. In the tube is slidablymounteda bolt or pin 6 resting on a 55 spring 7 which normally tends to move the bolt against the board 1. f f

From .the lower face of the board 1 is drilled an opening 8 adapted to receive the free end of the'bolt 6 under the action of the springf'? i60 when the drawer 2 is in closed position. as illustrated in Fig. 2. The entrance to fthe opening'8 is preferably surrounded by an apertured wear disk 9 to prevent enlargement of the entrance to the opening 8 by the action 65 of the bolt 6.

In the face of the board 3 is also cut a slot lO'which registers with another slot 11 cut y axially in the tube 4. A pin 12 extends from the bolt G'through both slots and isformedv 70 with an ornamental head 13 entirely outside Y the board 3 as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. A pull ring 14 is suspended from the head 13 for the purpose which will presently appear. To the outer face of the board 3 is applied an escutcheon plate 15 over the slot 10 and having also a slot 16 which registers with the slots 10 and 11. The stem 12 carries a slidable shield or cover plate 17 8 which conceals the slot 16. Y

Assuming that the drawer is locked by means of the bolt 6 as shownin Fig. 2, it will be obvious after an understanding ot the construction of the lock, that the drawer may be unlocked merely by pulling downwardly 85. on the stem 12 by means of the ring 14. The outward appearance of the device, however, is such as to indicate that the member 14 is merely an ordinary pull ring which, if pulled directly outwardly, drawer. Such a mode of operation is also suggested by the ornamental escutcheon plate 15.

Inasmuch as the device is not intended to be an intricate lock but merely as a guard 95*V against idle curiosity seekers, it electively serves its purpose. Such curious persons who may wander into private rooms of a home which they are visitinghave a known tendency, innocent but undesirable, to look into 100 will also pull out the i the drawers of the furniture. An unsuccessful attempt to pull the drawer straight outwardly by the ring 14 in the apparently obvious manner would in most cases be embarrassing and would not be followed by further meddling with the lock to determine the manner of opening it, and might even lead to the belief that the drawer has been locked with a key.

Although a specific embodiment of the in Vention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that Various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the in- Vention as indicated by the appended claim.

What I claim is A latch comprising in combination with a fixed member and a drawer slidable relatively thereto, a Spring pressed bolt in said drawer adapted to enter said fixed member, said drawer being` formed with a slot adjacent said bolt, a pin extending from said bolt through said slot to the forward face of said drawer, a cover plate carried by said pin and adapted to cover said slot invall positions of said pin, and a pull ring carried by the exposed end of said pin.

L ONCE DEFOY. 

